Litter bag



April 27, 1965 E. M. SEIFERT 3,180,

LITTER BAG Filed May 29, 196" a V, V

, mvsw'rox EM/l. M. SE/FE/ZT United States Patent 3,180,384 LITTER BAG Emil M. Seifert, 422 Main Ave., liroolrings, S. Dair. Filed May 29, 1963, Ser. No. 284,218 3 Claims. (Ci. l501) This invention relates to an improved form of disposable bag and fixture therefor suitable for use for the accumulation of debris in automobiles and also as a receptacle for use on the beds of hospital patients, and similar uses.

It is an object of the invention to provide an 1mproved disposable bag and holder therefor. It is another object of the invention to provide an improved disposable bag and plastic holder therefor. It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved disposable bag and holder therefor which is of neat appearance and of sanitary and clean construction. It is another object of the invention to provide an improved disposable bag and holder therefor which is economical to manufacture and neat in use. It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved disposable bag and holder therefor which readily holds the bag for the admission of debris, waste paper, etc., and yet still hangs flat against a supporting surface in an unobtrusive condition. It is another object of the invention to provide an improved disposable litter bag and a further object to provide an improved disposable plastic litter bag wherein the bag is composed of plastic sheeting that is sufficiently lacking in transparency, so that objects placed in the bag are not readily visible therethrough.

Other and further objects are those inherent in the invention herein illustrated, described and claimed and will be apparent as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, this invention then comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed.

The invention is illustrated in the drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the bag shown in FIGURE 1, FIGURE 2 being taken along the line and in the direction of arrows 2--2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a much enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a slightly modified form of supporting ring structure similar to that shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURES 4 and 5 illustrate another embodiment of the invention utilizing a standard component for the bag support ring, FIGURE 4 being a fragmentary front elevational view, similar to FIGURE 1 and FIGURE 5 an enlarged sectional view taken along the line and in the direction of arrows 55 of FIGURE 4.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to FIG- URES 1 and 2 there is illustrated a preferred form of the invention, wherein the receptacle for the accumulation of Waste paper, debris, etc., is a bag illustrated at It This bag is a tube, closed at one end and open at the other end. The bag may be made of paper or the like, but is preferrably made of plastic sheeting, and in the preferred embodiment the plastic sheeting is opaque or "ice translucent or at least sufficiently lacking in transparency rather than clear, so that the debris accumulated within the bag will not readily be visible from the exterior. Previous receptacles have been made of clear plastic and while a clear plastic will perform satisfactorily from the mechanical standpoints of my invention, and may be used if some lack of fastidiousness may be tolerated, I prefer that the plastic material for use in the construction of the bag 10 be at least suificiently lacking in transparency so that objects placed in the bag will not readily be visible therethrough. The bag may be of any diameter tube and height, as for example a diameter of 6 to 8 inches and a height of 8 to 12 inches. The bag is a tube and need not have a hem or other reinforcement around the upper (open) end thereof. It will be understood that the plastic material can be quite thin, thus a few thousands of an inch thickness will be sufiicient for most purposes. It is preferred that the bag it? should be used only until filled and that it should then be disposed of. Therefore, according to the preferred mode of use, the bag It need not be constructed of such strength to have long term durability. This is not to say that the bag may not, according to this invention, ever be emptied and re-used, or that more durable sheeting cannot be used in constructing the bag, if desired. Also, in some instances it may also be desirable to make the bag of thin paper, since a bag made of paper will operate satisfactorily within the purview of the invention, and the use of paper or other non-plastic sheet materials for constructing the bag is within the purview of the invention. However, paper stock is wrinkly, it does not drape as well as plastic, and seldom presents any cost advantage. Hence, I do not prefer paper stock for the bag.

The open ends of the bag is gripped by a bag holder, generally designated 12 which grips the upper margin of the bag wall to support the bag, The ring is constructed so as, normally, to hang down against a wall or the like support.

Ring 12 is composed of an outer ring 14 and an inner ring 15 of similar plan shape here illustrated as an oval shape, which is preferred, but not essential. Other ring shapes such as round, or square with rounded corners, or exotic shapes, may be used.

The cross sectional shape of the rings 14 and 15 is illustrated in FIGURE 2. Thus the outer ring is of U-shaped cross section generally resembling a channel, thus having a closed front portion 14A and two flanges 14B and 14C. These flanges are preferably provided with outturned edges at ME and MP for strength and for providing a rounded finish and better appearance. The interior cavity of the U-shaped (channel) ring 14 is preferably made so that the dimension 16 at the mouth of the channel will be slightly less than the dimension 17 at the interior of the channel. The plastic material of which the ring 14 is composed is slightly resilient and the two portions 148 and MG will ilex outwardly when the midfiange 15B of ring 15 is entered and this flexibility assists in gripping the bag top, as will be described. At one or more places (one is illustrated) on the exterior on the ring 14 there is an integrally molded boss 18 having an aperture 1% therein for receiving the pointed end 20 of the stem 23 of a hook 22. The hook, which may be a ring or a flexible loop or tie, as in FIGURE 4, if desired, is used for supporting the entire ring 12, from any convenient protrubrance such as the knob 25 on the interior of an automobile. The point 20 of the stem 21 can easily be entered into the aperture 19, and when it is in the position shown in FIGURE 2 it the two rings.

will beretained while still permitting rotation of stem 21. The stem 21 of the hook will rotate thus permitting the hook portion 22 to be oriented either in the plane of the ring 14 or transversely to the plane of the ring 14, or in any other convenient orientation, for suspending the whole support structure 12 with bag ltl attached.

The cooperating ring 15 is of T-shape in cross-section and the plane shape of the ring 15 is identical to that shown for the ring 14, i.e. here illustrated as an oval. The ring 15 has a flange base 15A and a center or midflange 15B, which is so proportioned that it will be a little wider (thicker) at its outer dimension i.e. the dimension 17 than at its inner dimension i.e. the dimension 16, see FIGURE 2. .In this way when the midfiange 153, when entered into the channel formed by the U-shaped cross sectioned ring 14, the relatively thicker outer portion of the midiiange 15B will first have to pass through a narrower space at the dimension 16, and will then enter to the fully asthan in FIGURE 2, and this enhances entering flange in the groove in ring 24.

In the modification shown in FIGURE 4, the ring assembly generally designated Stl, is likewise composed of which as customarily made is provided with a cork layer sembled position shown in FIGURE 2 and so be retained.

For retaining the bag It in place on the ring structure 12, the two portions of the ring 14 and 15 are initially separated. The ring 15 is then held generally horizontally with the midfiange 15B upwardly and the open mouth of bag it is then brought upwardly through the center of the ring and the wall of the bag is folded out over the ring 15 so as to leave a small portion of the bag as at lfiA ltlA bent outwardly and downwardly over the ring 15. The ring 14 is then held with the open channel tow wards ring 15 and it is then brought into engagement with the channel or ring M covering with the midflange 15B of the ring 15 and ring 14 is pressed into place as shown in FIGURE 2 with the channel frictionally retained on midflange 15B and with the material of the bag held between There is some clamping pressure exerted by the portions 14B and 14C of the ring 14 against the sidewalls of the midflange 15B of the ring 15. In this manner the wall of the bag Itl is firmly gripped by the composite structure composed of the tworing portions14 and 15, which make up the ring structure 12. Then when the ring structure 12 is suspended, it will hang in the position in FIGURE 1, generally upright,v and preferably against a Wall at the place where it is located and the bag 10 will generally hang flat against the wall, with the ring 12' oriented in a plane which is more or less vertical.

When it is desired to fill the bag, objects are entered into the central open portion 12A of the ring and they fall into When the bag 7 at 34 on the outer surface of the inner ring portion 31. Such anfembroidery hoop admirably serves to grip the mouth of the thin plastic bag 36, as shown in FIGURE 4. The embroidery hoop is of'customary construction, and usually has on its outer hoop portion 32 a separation in the hoop' at 37 which is bridged by a spring 38 so as to provided hoop-tension for gripping the inner hoop portion 31. Advantage is taken'of this usual construction so as to provide. a means for attachment of the device by which the device may be suspended. In this embodiment of the invention this is illustrated as a bead-chain 39, such I as is used for a key chain.

This is looped through spring 38, and for hanging the assembly the chain 39 may be looped over any convenient protrubrance 40 at the location where the assembly is to be hung. The chain 39 normally has a separable link 41, and this is desirable, since it permits opening of the chain loop to go around a rod or other support which may be available.

In utilizing this form of the invention, the bag 36 is placed through the openings of the inner ring 31 and the upper edge of the bag wall is then bent outwardly and downwardly around the inner hoop 31so as to bring the upperbag edge to a folded-down position as at 36A, see FIGURE 5. Then the outer hoop 32 is slipped on and this serves to clamp" the plastic of the bag wall between URE 4 or a simple cord tie may be used with the device shown in FIGURES l and 2 by simply entering the loop or tie through hole 15A in boss 18, see FIGURE 2.

As many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention may be made without departing from the I spirit and scope thereof, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the specific embodiments disclosed herein.

What I claim is:

l. A litter bag assembly comprising a pair of complete hoops shaped so as frictionally to engage each other on cooperating engaging surfaces so as clampingly to hold each other, a bag having generally tubular bag wall of mode of use the entire ring structure may be-opened by separating the portions 14 and 15 of the ring from each other and the bag It) emptied or the bag and its contents disposed of and a new and fresh bag used in assemblying the structure.

The planar shape of the ring 12 may be an oval shape as illustrated, circular, or any other desired shape. The oval is preferred.

In FIGURE 3, there is illustrated a modified form of ring composed of two ring portions 24 and 25. In this view, the cross sectional of the groove formed by the wall portions 24B and 25B, is not quite as deep, and has a slightly closer spaced mouth dimension as at 26 than does the corresponding structure in FIGURE 2 Also, the dimension at 27 for the groovein member 24 percentage wise, is a little thicker in respect to the portion 26 than is the portion 17 as compared to the portion 16, in FIGURE 2. The shape of the sections for the midfiange 25B is similar to that for the shape of the groove in member 24.

In both the members 24 and 25 the thickness of the material forming the section is somewhat greater than in FIGURE 2, and all corners are more liberally rounded a; cross-sectional peripheral dimension approximately as much as the periphery of the hoops where they engage, said bag wall extending upwardly toa terminal margin forming a bag mouth said margin being positioned between the ho'ops'so as to be gripped and held by the cooperating engaging surfaces of the hoops, and a suspension connected to a normally'exposed portion of one of the hoops for suspending the hoops from a support, said suspension being constructed so as to be free to pivot about a generally horizontal axis in respect to a support on which it is hung so that the hoops will normally swing downwardly under their own weight and assume a position with the plane or the hoops generally upright, said litterbag being further characterized in that one of the hoops has a channel shaped'section and the other hoop has a T-shaped section with a mid-fiange,'the channel shaped section of the one hoop and mid -flange of the other hoop beingoriented so that the mid-flange can be entered into the channel so as to be frictionally engaged thereby for holding the hoops, the interior surface of 2. The litter bag assembly of claim 1 further characterized in that the hoops are made of resilient plastic.

3. The litter bag assembly of claim 1 further characterized in that the width of the groove at the depth of the groove in one hoop and the outermost thickness of the mid-flange of the other hoop are made slightly greater than the width of the groove at its mouth and the thickness of the mid-flange at the base of said flange, respectively.

References Citefi by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Beager et a1. l501 Kelrick 248-101 Szabo 1501 X Somers 150-3 Andelin.

FRANKLIN T, GARRETT, Primary Examiner. 

1. A LITTER BAG ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A PAIR OF COMPLETE HOOPS SHAPED SO AS TO FRICTIONALLY TO ENGAGE EACH OTHER ON COOPERATING ENGAGING SURFACES SO AS CLAMPINGLY TO HOLD EACH OTHER, A BAG HAVING GENERALLY TUBULAR BAG WALL OF A CROSS-SECTIONAL PERIPHERAL DIMENSION APPROXIMATELY AS MUCH AS THE PERIPHERY OF THE HOOPS WHERE THEY ENGAGE, SAID BAG WALL EXTENDING UPWARDLY TO A TERMINAL MARGIN FORMING A BAG MOUTH, SAID MARGIN BEING POSITIONED BETWEEN THE HOOPS SO AS TO BE GRIPPED AND HELD BY THE COOPERATING ENGAGING SURFACES OF THE HOOPS, AND A SUSPENSION CONNECTED TO A NORMALLY EXPOSED PORTION OF ONE OF THE HOOPS FOR SUSPENDING THE HOOPS FROM A SUPPORT, SAID SUSPENSION BEING CONSTRUCTED SO AS TO BE FREE TO PIVOT ABOUT A GENERALLY HORIZONTAL AXIS IN RESPECT TO A SUPPORT ON WHICH IT IS HUNG SO THAT THE HOOPS WILL NORMALLY SWING DOWNWARDLY UNDER THEIR OWN WEIGHT AND ASSUME A POSITION WITH THE PLANE OF THE HOOPS GENERALLY UPRIGHT, SAID LITTER BAG BEING FURTHER CHARACTERIZED IN THAT ONE OF THE HOOPS HAS A CHANNEL SHAPED SECTION AND THE OTHER HOOP HAS A T-SHAPED SECTION WITH A MID-FLANGE, THE CHANNEL SHAPED SECTION OF THE ONE HOOP AND MID-FLANGE OF THE OTHER HOOP BEING ORIENTED SO THAT THE MID-FLANGE CAN BE ENTERED INTO THE CHANNEL SO AS TO BE FRICTIONALLY ENGAGED THEREBY FOR HOLDING THE HOOPS, THE INTERIOR SURFACE OF THE CHANNEL AND EXTERIOR SURFACE OF THE MID-FLANGE BEING THE COOPERATING ENGAGING SURFACES. 